Cotton chopper and cultivator.



P. B. KREULHAUS.

COTTON CHOPPER AND GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. a, 1911.

Patented July 11, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

III/VENTOR FERDINAND B. KREULHAUS, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 6, 1911.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Serial No. 612,519.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND B. KREUL- HAUS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at 211 South Thirteenth street, Birmingham, in thecounty of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cotton Choppers and Gultivators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cotton choppers andcultivators, and embodies novel means for chopping the tops of cottonstalks or plants. The implement is designed especially to accomplishthis purpose in workmanlike manner, and utilizes a pair of co-acting andopposing knives, by means of which the undesirable cotton plants arechopped out of a row; and provision is of course made, whereby certainplants are left standing in the row that is being cultivated by theimplement.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangements of parts for performing the required functions, as will behereinafter pointed out, and as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

The drawings exemplify the best mode I have so far devised for thepractical application of the principles of the invention, and illustratean operative implement which has proven eminently satisfactory in itsphysical embodiment and actual service.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an implement embodying the novel features ofmy invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the implement, with the nearwheel removed. Fig. 3 is a rear View of the implement with some partsomitted for clearer illustration. Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail of thedriving gears. Fig. 5 is a detail of the driving gears, showing thedevice for actuating the clutch. Fig. 6 shows the connections foractuating one of the knives, the knife blade being shown in section.Fig. 7 is a face view of one of the eccentrics and shows its connectionwith the knife blade, and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the two choppers orknives.

The implement is intended to be drawn by a pair of horses, and includesa pair of supporting wheels 1, 1, j ournaled upon the axle or shaft 2,the connection being rigid so that the wheels and shaft rotate together.A rectangular frame 3, preferably made up of angle irons, is supportedat the bearings 4, upon the axle and this frame supports the variousdevices of the implement, a tongue 5 being provided for attachment ofthe horses.

The operation of chopping the cotton plants is accomplished through themedium of a pair of knives or choppers 6, 6. The edges 7, 7, of theblades of the knives are sharpened as illustrated, and are provided withalined recesses 8, extending a suitable distance in the blade portion ofthe knife. The knives are arranged to reciprocate toward and away fromeach other, and for this purpose are each suspended in a pair of bracketarms 9, 9, formed with grooves or recesses 10, 10 in which the bladesare adapted to be guided. An additional guiding and bracing element isprovided at each end of each knife blade, in the shape of a rod 11, 11,attached to the blade and movable through an opening in a guide block12, attached to the bracket arm 9. The bracket arms 9 depend from themain frame of the implement, being attached at 13, by bolts or otherfastening means. As clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 6 the brackets 9 aredisposed at an angle, the pairs of brackets at each side of theimplement extending downwardly and inwardly toward each other, and asclearly seen in Fig. 3, a brace or cross arm 14 is employed to giverigidity to the parts. The knives are caused to reciprocate through theforward movement of the vehicle or implement, and to accomplish thisaction I provide the large gear wheel 15 upon and rotatable with theaxle or driving shaft 2. The wheel 15 meshes with a smaller pinion 16rotatable with the counter shaft 17 journaled in the frame 1. Thecounter shaft carries a pair of eccentrics 18 rigidly secured thereto bymeans of a pin or key 19, and each eccentric is provided with the usualstrap 20. The eccentric straps are connected to the respective knifeblades by means of the loose links 21 and 22 which form a flexibleconnection between the parts. To throw the knives into or out ofoperative position I utilize the customary shifting fork 23, which isengaged with the spool 24 attached to the pinion 16, and may be actuatedby means of the lever 25.

In connection with the cuttin or chopping knives I also employ a num erof cultivating plows. In the drawings I have illustrated four frontplows indicated by the numerals 26 and two rear plows, 27.

The

front plows are each suspended by means of a shank 27 from the beam 28,and the beam is fulcrumed at 29 in the frame 1 of the implement, a lever30 being provided for lifting the plows forwardly and upwardly out ofoperative position. The lever may be secured in adjusted position bymeans of the notched standard 31, as will be understood. The rear plowsare also movable out of operative position by means of a second handlever 32 which may be engaged in the notched standard. The rear plowsare adapted to be lifted upwardly and rearwardly out of operativeposition. The usual seat for the operator is shown at 33 and issupported from the main frame by the bracket or arm 34:.

From the above description taken in connection with the drawings it isbelieved the operation of the implement will be readily understood.lVith the gears on the driving and countershafts meshing the forwardmovement of the implement, as drawn by the horses, rotates theeccentrics. The action of the eccentrics, through their connections,moves the knife blades downwardly and toward each other, the cuttingedges approaching and chopping off the plants between them. The recessesin the cutting knives leave a plant standing between them. The knivesare reciprocated at each revolution of the eccentrics or cams and theimplement progresses sufficiently during each reciprocation to bring thecutting knives in position to chop the next succeeding number of plants.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is z 1. The combination in an implementasdescribed, with the driving wheels, axle, countershaft and gearedconnections, of a pair of oppositely disposed co-acting inclependentlysupported knives adapted to reciprocate toward and from each other,guidmg brackets for each knife, and connections from the countershaftfor operating each knife.

2. The combination in an implement as described, with the wheels, axle,countershaft and geared connections, of a pair of oppositely disposedco-acting independently supported knives, and means actuated from thecountershaft for reciprocating said knives each in a downward and inwarddirection.

3. The combination in an implement as described, of a pair of co-acting,reciprocable knives, angularly disposed recessed brackets for supportingeach knife, and means operated from a moving part of the implement foractuating said knives in a downward and inward direction.

4. The combination of a pair of co-acting knives, angularly disposedrecessed supporting brackets therefor, a counter-shaft, an eccentric onsaid shaft connected to each knife, guide blocks, and a rod at the endof each knife movable in said blocks.

5. The combination in an implement as described, of a pair of co-actingreciprocableknives each having a recessed cutting edge, angularlydisposed grooved supporting brackets, guide blocks, a guide rod at theend of each knife movable in said blocks, a counter-shaft actuated froma moving part of the implement, eccentrics each having flexibleconnection with a knife, and means for rendering said knivesinoperative.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND B. KREULHAUS.

\Vitnesses:

VILLIS WV. BURT, J. F. russ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

